Application with Directions

Application for the Social Work Major

Directions:

Please make and save an electronic copy of this application for your records.

A. PERSONAL INFORMATION

DATE:

NAME:

Ball StateStudent ID Number:

SCHOOL ADDRESS

Street: City: State: Zip:

County:

PERMANENT ADDRESS (if different)

Street: City: State: Zip:

County:

CURRENT DAY TIME PHONE with area code:

CURRENT EVENING PHONE: with area code:

EMAIL ADDRESS (es):

EMERGENCY CONTACT PERSON:

Name:

Phone Number:

Have you registered with the Office of Career Services?

______ Yes ______ No

If no, how do you plan to find employment as a BSW graduate?

Have you ever been convicted of any felony charges? (Circle) Yes / No

Have you ever been convicted of any misdemeanor charges? (Circle) Yes / No

Are there any current pending felony or misdemeanor charges that have been filed against you? (Circle) Yes / No

Are there any current pending misdemeanor charges that have been filed against you? (Circle) Yes / No

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, list all criminal convictions you have received, as well as any current pending criminal charges that have been filed against you:

Directions:

On a separate piece of paper please address the following under B, C, & D. Please prepare your application materials carefully. Your written responses on the application materials are viewed as an example of your writing skills. Since as a professional you will be judged in part on the quality of your written work, you are expected to be writing at a college level and able to produce written work free of spelling and grammar errors. Please make and save an electronic copy for your records. This will be useful for your practicum application.

B. ACADEMIC RECORD

Identify names (s) of high school, and higher education institutions attended including location and grade/degree completed.
List scholastic or related honors (awards, prizes, scholarships, membership in academic societies, etc.) and indicate dates received.
Other specialized training (institutes, vocational training, military, etc.)
current G.P.A. in social work
Number of completed academic hours that count toward graduation at BSU
Other information you consider relevant to application to the social work major (e.g. certifications)

C. FAMILY – EMPLOYMENT – VOLUNTEER – PERSONAL INFLUENCES

Indicate membership in campus, social, professional or other organizations and describe significant participation, leadership responsibilities and offices held if any.
Please describe in detail leadership and volunteer activities that you have completed that have influenced your decision to pursue a social work education.
Describe other factors which have influenced your interest in the social work major (e.g., family, friends, clergy, social workers, teacher, volunteer/work experiences, academic experiences, personal life experience). Be certain to explain why the social work profession is your career choice as compared to other helping professions such as psychology, nursing, education, etc.

D. PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK INTEREST REPORT

Explore a web site related to each of the two areas below:

Practice setting or clientele that is of particular interest to you.
o Service trends, future funding prospects and employment opportunities/requirements in the practice setting or with clientele of interest. Focus on local, state, national and global trends, policies and funding opportunities.

Write 3 or 4 paragraphs which describe something new that you learned from each of the two sites that you reviewed. You do not need to submit a copy of the site content, but please indicate the name of the web site and the address (URL).

DIRECTIONS FOR SELF ASSESSMENT

Professional Self Evaluation Form

DO NOT SUBMIT THIS SECTION OR THE NEXT WITH YOUR APPLICATION

Standards for Essential Abilities and

Attributes for Admission and Continuance in the Social Work Major

In addition to academic standards (e.g., minimum grade point averages), there are also essential Abilities and Attributes for admission to and continuance in the social work major. These abilities and attributes include cognitive, character, emotional and physical requirements needed to complete the course of study for successful entry into the practice of social work.

Students in the Department of Social Work at Ball State University are expected to have achieved the academic level required for the BSW degree (see pg. 375-378 of the 2004-2006 or pg. 385-388 of the 2006-2008 Undergraduate Catalog), and possess the Abilities and Attributes listed below at a level appropriate to their year in the program. Social work students are expected to meet these academic and professional standards in the classroom, in their field experiences (volunteer and practica), and their overall performance as social work majors. Attention to these standards will be part of assessments made by faculty responsible for evaluating applications for admission, as well as by faculty responsible for evaluating students' classroom and practicum performance.

Directions for Completing this Professional Self-Evaluation Form:

Complete a self-evaluation of your current level of competence for each of the fifteen (15) areas identified on the Abilities and Attributes form. Do not place your responses on this form. Word process your responses on a separate sheet and list each Ability/Attribute, along with your self-evaluation and your comments about each area. Please see the examples below.

The following examples are intended to provide guidelines on how you might respond to each Ability/Attribute. However, you should write your own personal/professional assessment and should not repeat the description provided with each ability/attribute as provided in the examples.

Because formal admission to the social work major occurs near the beginning or midway in the program of study, it is expected that students will not have yet achieved full mastery in the majority of the Abilities/Attributes and that further professional and academic development will occur following formal admission.

(EXAMPLE 1)
Needs	Satisfactory	Communication Skills
Improvement
_____	__X__
(Example 1 Comments) My communication skills are very good. I communicate well with my peers, co-workers, and the children with whom I have worked. I am comfortable expressing my own emotions and respond well to others who are communicating intense feelings as well. I express myself well in front of groups especially if I have had an opportunity to prepare a presentation. My listening skills are one of my strengths, and I can be assertive in a respectful manner when the situation calls for such. Both my verbal and written communication skills are solid and have contributed to my performing well academically.
(EXAMPLE 2)
Needs	Satisfactory	Knowledge Base
Improvement
__X__	_____
(Example 2 Comments) I have done pretty well with course concepts and outcomes so far. However, my understanding of social work practice is limited; I do not know enough about how to complete behavioral assessments nor understand enough about the causes of social problems and resources available to people. I lack a familiarity with the range of practiceapproaches currently being used by social workers.

(*EXAMPLE 3)*
Needs	Satisfactory	Professional Behavior
Improvement
__X__	_____
(Example 3 Comments) I have difficulty being punctual. I feel I need to improve by being in class on time, and completing assignments on time (I often miss deadlines due to poor planning and not being very organized).

(EXAMPLE 4)
Needs	Satisfactory	Emotions
Improvement
_____	__X__
(Example 4 Comments) Although I'm sure I can learn how to better monitor my emotional responses to clients in hands on stressful situations, I feel pretty confident in this area. My community volunteering has included doing emergency intakes in winter months with families. I am able to listen well and express empathy, but not become overly emotionally attached.

SELF ASSESSMENT

Name: Student ID Number:

Directions:

Include your completed self-evaluation of Abilities/Attributes with your other admission-to-the-major materials and submit all required application materials to the Department. Please do not use "fancy covers" or page protectors or tabbed sections; the Department will supply a folder for your submitted materials.

Evaluation Scale

1. Abilities and Attributes

(Place an X to report your evaluation)

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

a. Academic Performance:

The social work student must:

consistently demonstrate academic abilities (e.g., examination performance, class participation, study skills, scholarly writing, learning motivation);
achieve a minimum of a 2.5 grade point average in the major to qualify academically for the Bachelor of Social Work degree;
must adhere to standards of academic honesty.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

b. Knowledge Base for Social Work Practice:

The professional activities of social work students must:

be grounded in relevant research-based social, behavioral and human biological sciences.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

c. Critical Thinking Abilities:

The social work student must be able to formulate, analyze, and evaluate to:

identify and factually assess social problems;
draw on theories of social work practice and human behavior to understand the underlying and interacting causes of social problems;
generate alternative strategies, methods, and interventions to facilitate planned change;
use empirical evidence of effectiveness when selecting among alternative interventions;
develop and apply criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of practice interventions.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

d. Communication Skills:

The social work student must communicate effectively and sensitively with other students, faculty, staff, clients and professionals, which includes the abilities to:

express their ideas and feelings clearly, with individuals and groups;
complete public presentations;
demonstrate a willingness and ability to listen to others;
have sufficient skills in spoken and written English to understand, articulate, write the technical content expected in the program, and be understood by potential clients.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

e. Interpersonal Skills:

The social work student must:

demonstrate the interpersonal skills needed to relate effectively to other students, faculty, staff, clients and other professionals in both individual and group settings (these skills include compassion, altruism, integrity and the demonstration of respect for and consideration of others).

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

f. Empathy:

The social work student must:

continually strive to understand the way of life and values of other individuals;
be able to communicate this empathy and support to clientele as a basis for an effective professional relationship.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

g. Acceptance of Diversity:

The social work student must:

demonstrate appreciation for the value of human diversity;
serve, in an appropriate manner, all persons in need of assistance, regardless of the persons' age, class, color, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, gender identity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation;
not impose her/his own personal, religious, sexual, and/or cultural values on others.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

h. Emotions – Feelings

The social work student must be aware of and able to:

express feelings or emotions;
be comfortable in discussing emotionally intense information;
act effectively in interpersonal conflicts;
be able to advocate on behalf of others;
be professionally assertive

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

i. Self-Care:

The social work student must:

be resistant to the undesirable effects of stress, and avoid burnout by exercising appropriate self-care;
develop effective professional relationships with colleagues and peers;
create social and developmental supports to maintain physical and psychological wellness.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

j. Professional Behavior:

The social work student must:

behave professionally by knowing and practicing within the scope of social work;
respect others;
be responsible, self-directed, punctual and dependable;
prioritize responsibilities;
complete assignments on time;
have a sense of personal/professional boundaries;
be able to work effectively with others in subordinate positions as well as with those in authority.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

k. Professional Commitment:

The social work student must have a strong commitment to:

the goals of social work;
the ethical standards of the profession;
the essential values of social work which are the dignity and worth of every individual;
economic and social justice;
resource development for at-risk individuals and groups.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

l. Objectivity:

The social work student must:

be objective enough to systematically evaluate clients and their situations in an unbiased, factual way.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

m. Self-Awareness:

The social work student must be:

aware and understand how her/his values, attitudes, beliefs, emotions, behaviors and past life experiences affect his/her current thinking, behavior and relationships;
willing to examine and change her/his beliefs and behavior that interfere with effective social work practice;
able to recognize her/his own assumptions, and world view and avoid using personal views to make professional judgments regarding clients.

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

n. Writing Ability:

The social work student must write in a consistent manner, making use of:

logical, reasoned, well-developed, organized and focused content;
strong thesis, either stated or implied;
relevant, delineated, convincing support for the thesis;
smooth, efficient, appropriate readability by intended audience;
factual/technical accuracy;
appropriate documentation

Needs	Satisfactory
Improvements
_____	_____

o. Computer Competency:

The social work student must have a basic understanding of how to:

use information technologies as a social worker;
use the computer to search, record, organize, and report written information;
communicate electronically as a professional;
complete data entry and analysis;
use data banks;
present information to others using presentation software.

2. Professional Development Plans

Directions: Based on the self-evaluation that you have completed, use the following outline to identify three areas for professional development and a plan to address each area.

Example

Priority One Developmental Need: Critical Thinking

a) Description:

In order to be a competent social worker I need to sharpen my critical thinking skills. I need to think more critically about information and to evaluate more what I am told by others and what I read. I tend to accept without question information especially if the source of this information is someone in authority or someone I like. I need to practice evaluating information and seek additional collaborating facts and not blindly accept information. I need to investigate research on social work theories so I can better evaluate my assessment and intervention skills.

b) Concrete / Specific Goal

Ask more questions about what others tell me and about what I read.

c) Steps and Resources

In my classes, I will raise more questions about what is being taught, what my peers are saying, and what the assigned authors are suggesting. I will need my instructors and classmates to support my questioning by being willing to listen to me.

I will seek out research-based literature when preparing social work assignments, and ask for help from faculty in doing so. I will need the library and electronic databases to help me seek out relevant research studies. I will also need to take the social work research classes to give me the skills I need to evaluate research.

I will ask social work faculty and my classmates to give me feedback on assumptions they are aware I am making. I will need my peers and faculty to provide me with feedback.

Professional Development Plans

1. Priority One Developmental Need:

a. Please identify and describe:

b. Concrete/specific goals for change: (describe)

c. Specific steps you will take to accomplish goals, and the resources you will need:

2. Priority Two Developmental Need:

a. Please identify and describe:

b. Behaviorally-specific goals for change: (describe)

c. Specific steps you will take to accomplish goals, and the resources you will need:

3. Priority Three Developmental Need:

a. Please identify and describe:

b. Behaviorally-specific goals for change: (describe)

c. Specific steps you will take to accomplish goals, and the resources you will need:

Thank you for completing this form.